


Tirianna

by EndOfThePath_IStartedUsOn



Category: Black Panther (2018), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies), captain america: civil war - Fandom
Genre: BAMF Tony Stark, Based on Black Panther, F/M, Hurt Tony Stark, King Tony Stark, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Tony Stark, Shuri is 18, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark-centric, Young Tony Stark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-04-04 23:01:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 15,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14030745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EndOfThePath_IStartedUsOn/pseuds/EndOfThePath_IStartedUsOn
Summary: Tony accepted the crown with so much caution his hands trembled. He studied it, admiring the craftsmanship and the hope forged into it, then looked at the people around him. They gazed at him as if he was a god among them, sent to lead them to greatness.To them, he was.These people needed him, far more than the rest of the world. The world had the Avengers- they would be safe. Pepper and Rhodey and Happy had each other- they would find peace amongst each other. For these people, freedom and safety was an honour. A gift. For everyone else, they were a given. But they didn’t want to be saved, it was expected. It wasn’t cherished.With these people, it was.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, this is a Shuri/Tony story, but Shuri is of age.
> 
> Tirianna is based heavily on Wakanda but it is in fact very different.
> 
> Tony's actions may seem sudden and without any real thought or merit, but remember this is built up through years of abuse and neglect from his teammates and so-called friends.
> 
> King Najjad I actually got because it's Arabic translation means Saviour. The rest of the names I picked just because I thought they were beautiful and would fit in well.
> 
> Ixarin is the language Tony created to unite his people further and is actually made up of every language. I felt creating it like this would be a lot easier than creating a whole new language so whenever Ixarin is being spoken, it is Italicized.
> 
> I really hope you guys like this. I am super excited about it and am very proud of how this is turning out. I have a few chapters already, so I might be able to publish fairly quickly, but don't expect sudden updates. Really, I only update when I can.

He found the island by mistake. He’d been flying across the Indian Ocean on his way back to the states. His suit, heavily damaged from a battle he fought with the new Avengers, wasn’t working very well, but Tony refused to fly back with the team- no one needed to see him so vulnerable in a broken suit. Not again. Not after Siberia. He’d made fair distance, about the halfway point from Africa and Antartica when his suit shut down.

  


Iron Man was abandoned in the water and Tony swam. He had no ways of communication and he was far too tired to actually have a destination in mind, he just swam- he didn’t care what happened to him anymore, he was just tired of  _ everything _ .

  


He saw the island after about an hour of swimming; it took another hour for him to swim there.

  


People were on the beach, waiting for him as he tiredly crawled out of the water. Many rushed to his aid, many more stared.

  


There were _ thousands _ of them.

  


_ ‘Refugees.’ _ One woman said. He woke in a small wooden hut with this woman stood over him. Refugees, all too afraid to go back to their homes. They came from everywhere, spoke many different languages, believed many different things. Despite the different origins, each one of them desired one thing: freedom. Freedom from the more powerful, freedom from poverty, from hunger, from oppression. From death.

  


_ “Najjad.” _ A young girl, maybe twelve, called him.  _ “Saviour.” _ He was their prophecy, sent before them to guide the nation of merely a couple hundred thousand to safety, prosperity, and independence. Tony was to rule, they told him, expose to them the truth of peace.

  


He was crowned only hours later, after being bathed, shaved, and dressed. He did little to protest in his state of shock. He was still hurting and was so tired, but he was their Destiny. Destiny does not wait.

  


The crown was a thick silver, encrusted with the finest of jewels. Made with the last of these people’s wealth.

  


They gave up all and looked to Tony.

  


Tony accepted the crown with so much caution his hands trembled. He studied it, admiring the craftsmanship and the hope forged into it, then looked at the people around him. They gazed at him as if he was a god among them, sent to lead them to greatness.

  


To them, he was.

  


These people needed him, far more than the rest of the world. The world had the Avengers- they would be safe. Pepper and Rhodey and Happy had each other- they would find peace amongst each other. For these people, freedom and safety was an honour. A  _ gift. _ For everyone else, they were a given. But they didn’t  _ want _ to be saved, it was expected. It wasn’t cherished.

  


With these people, it was.

  


Strong fingers squeezed Tony’s heart and Tony accepted it, all of it. He didn’t care about anything back home; there was no way for him to be tracked, there were no burdens resting on him, no demands to be met, no guilt to be felt. He was… free. And he liked it.

  


By the week’s end, Tony and his people built a small neighborhood of sturdy brick houses. They’d get better, once Tony eventually settled everyone. For the time, it worked.

  


Six months later and the kingdom was striving. Deep within the trees, Tirianna was alive. Hundreds of farms, each one large and healthy, grew delicious, hearty foods. Each farm grew something different: some grew vegetables, others grew fruits, cotton, grain, meat, and so much more. With the fertile soil, the people found an abundance of animals. Despite that, meat wasn’t common and Tiriannans found more satisfaction with the fruits while meats were meant only for the most special of occasions.

  


Tailors were spread about the kingdom, each one busy and successful. There was no currency- it wasn't needed- no trends to follow, no demands. Tiriannans bargained, accepting each product with a gracious smile.

  


Schools were built, allowing any child in. Paper was no a factor: every citizen used a special technology Tony made using Lethanium. Some kids found it with the earth after some nights here. Tony personally collected it with many gratitudes and, with it, created a nation.

  


Lethanium was etched into the bricks of every building, was woven into all clothing, fueled Tirianna’s technological advances, and strengthened the people’s trust in Tony- Kind Najjad.

  


Tirianna grew rapidly. By the year’s end, Tirianna was rich and prosperous, easily more powerful than any other nation. (Not that the world knew of this kingdom- and Tony planned to keep it that way.) Lethanium built his kingdom and from his palace- built by the people, Tony didn’t really want it- Tony often stared out at his kingdom that stretched on for an easy six hundred miles. He couldn’t see most of it, but what he could see was beautiful- so much woodland and wildlife all interspersed with shiny glass buildings. The air was fresh and sweet, not a single car on the paths and not a hint of pollution anywhere near them. Bicycles were an option but nothing else; Tony didn’t even allow electric bikes. He wanted his people in top physical condition. Water was everywhere: the ocean, rivers, ponds, and lakes were at every corner. But there was no dumping: any and all waste- including those from toilets, sinks, and tubs- were disposed of the proper, safe way. All used water was filtered greatly and cleaned thoroughly; none of it went back to the bodies of water.

  


Play structures and entertainment came about, but none of it were at all racey; each and every one could be viewed and enjoyed by citizens of all ages.

  


There were no police stations or courthouses. There was no crime. These people came here for peace and harmony: they did all they could to maintain that.

  


Hospitals were up, of course, but they weren’t nearly as full and frightening as others in the world: the only people to go there were those truly sick.

  


Tirianna was truly a paradise.

  


By the time the two-year mark hit, Ixarin is the kingdom’s language, with only a few remembering their native tongues. Tony himself doesn’t remember English all that well. He could remember some things, he thinks, but he never speaks it. There is no need to; he only spoke Ixarin, inside and outside his palace. Some found it odd at first, having to learn a whole new language, but soon enough, everyone understood and easily, eagerly learned.

  


Ixarin was an odd language, derived from all of the dialects spoken on the island, but Tiriannans took to it soon enough.

  


Oddly enough, his people seemed happier speaking Ixarin than they had speaking their native languages and Tony was pleased.

  


The Drenmir were the kingdom’s warriors. As became custom, the warriors wore very little clothing; with nothing constricting movement, the warriors moved quickly and easily. There were no weapons on the island and the Drenmir-  and Tony for that matter- were not exempt from that rule. The warriors relied on strength and knowledge and it showed during training. Although there was no crime, Tony still trained the Drenmir because he knew, eventually, that someone would come. Someone always did.

  


Tony was an eccentric, active king, eager to participate within the kingdom and with its warriors, but he was older, and it showed. His hair greyed, he tired easier, and his eyes strained. His people scrambled; their Saviour was aging and they couldn’t allow that to happen. They needed him.

  


Herbalists and botanists, only three months after the first signs of again, found a solution: Elaphan. Doctors laid him down on his large bed, kept his limbs still, and injected him. It hurt, to say the least, and Tony passed out still kicking and screaming.

  


When he woke, his vision was so intense he had to close his eyes once more. He could see _everything_ : each line in the Lethanium enhanced ceiling of his bedroom. His ears were just as enhanced: there was a child, yelling outside, easily about twenty miles away, and Tony heard him as if he were screaming in Tony’s ear. Tony groaned, pressing his hands to his ears.

  


Even those felt wrong; instead of decades worth of calluses, Tony felt smooth, soft skin instead.

  


His breathing, Tony realized, was also different; he could actually take a strong, full breath. Previously, the Arc Reactor dampened the ability to then the damage from Siberia worsened it. The deep breath felt so odd yet so amazing and Tony smiled as he did it again and again.

  


It took ten full minutes of breathing for Tony to finally open his eyes again. This time, he kept his eyes carefully open, doing his best to readjust to the clarity. As he sat up, Tony noticed that he could still see the smallest, finest details, but only when he actually focused his eyes, Just looking normally out his window, Tony could see what felt like forever. Everything was incredibly clear and defined and Tony liked it. 

  


A lot.

  


Smiling goofily, Tony trailed his gaze down over his body. A surprised gasp forced its way out at what Tony saw. Sharp, define muscles contrasted amazingly well with his thin, lanky frame. Tony had always been fit, but now he could actually feel how fit he was.

  


He heard footsteps coming closer to his room and turned around, a lovely smile stretched across his cheeks. His door opened and Ava, a young, formerly American girl, stepped through the archway.  _ “Your Highness.”  _ She greeted with a slight bow, the language rolling smoothly off of her tongue.

  


_ “Ava.” _ He responded, tipping his own head down politely.

  


_ “How do you feel?”  _ She questioned, moving to fix his bed.

  


_ “Amazing.”  _ He told, ignoring the urge to just make the bed himself- he’d long since learned to just allow Ava to do as she pleased concerning him.

  


Ava was the head of the Drenmir, mainly because of her years in the army before this, but also because of her loyalty to Tony, and Tony’s own security. Despite the island being completely safe, Ava was still cautious of Tony’s well being given the world’s history with leading figures.

  


The woman smiled as she finished tucking the blankets into place.  _ “That is good news to hear. I take it you approve of everything?” _

  


_ “To be honest, I have not yet… explored everything.” _

  


_ “Well, during training, we will see if any new abilities have occurred and test them. Because clearly, the visible attributes were wonderful.”  _ Ava said. She moved to Tony’s dresser and began pulling out Tony’s clothes. Tony was still naked.

  


_ “Is that true, Ava? Do I look nice?”  _ Tony asked, pulling his bottoms on as she handed them over.

  


Ava paused.  _ “You do not think so?” _

  


Tony bit his lip.  _ “That is amongst the things I have not checked. I was far too pleased with just the few things I did notice right away.”  _ Tony confessed.

  


His warrior smiled at her king and put her hand up, motioning him forward.  _ “Come, My Saviour, let us see you together.” _ She took his hand and led him toward the bathroom. She took him past the sink and to the far wall. Tony kept his eyes down, playing Ava’s game, and smiled as they came to a stop on the smooth floors. Ava addressed him.  _ “Be prepared, My King. Although many changes have occurred, you are still the same king you were before- Our Saviour. Are you ready?” _

  


Tony nodded.  _ “I am.” _

  


_ “Very well.”  _ A soft hand cupped his jaw, gently tilted his head up, and drew his eyes from the floor. They trailed up the mirror, following the smooth, soft skin and hard muscles of his body, traveling from his legs and up-

  


And Tony’s eyes went comically wide.

  


He looked… different.

  


Once thinning and greying hair was now thick and dark. His beard was shaved long ago- on his first night in Tirianna actually- so his smooth, round cheeks stood out. All lines were gone, replaced with unblemished, fresh, soft skin. His jaw was as sharp as ever and his lips were pink and smooth. What once was the face of a man on the wrong side of forty, was now the face of a boy of no more than sixteen. And Tony had the body to go with it.

  


His eyes, however, were the most astonishing. Tony always loathed his eyes; they were his biggest giveaway, revealing any truth within a lie. The deep brown creating pathetic, childlike features on a sturdy, serious demeanor. Except now, though, they were bright, sharp, and, quite honestly, beautiful. Instead of Tony’s brown eyes, were instead deep, rich purple eyes that seemed to  _ glow  _ against Tony’s suntanned skin. From the inside out, the lavender got darker and darker, creating a magnificent chain of bright purple hues.

  


_ “My King?”  _ Ava’s voice snapped Tony’s gaze up to meet Ava’s own blue eyes in the mirror. Her face was split into a wild grin and her eyes were alight with joy. Tony’s hand grasped her’s and pressed it to his cheek, resting it against the tight, slightly chubby, smooth skin. He looked ready to pass out.  _ “Are you well?”  _ She grinned.

  


_ “How old do I look?”  _ He questioned, needing the reassurance that this wasn’t all just a dream.

  


Ava stalled, guesstimating.  _ “Young.”  _ She answered eventually.  _ “Had I not previously know your true looks and age, I would have easily assumed not yet legal.” _

  


Tony smiled back at her, returning his astonished gaze back to himself.  _ “Wow. This is… And. My eyes.”  _ Finally, he turned fully to Ava, matching her gaze head-on. _ “This is amazing. I feel amazing and I look amazing. Just- thank you all so much.” _

  


The young woman shook her head.  _ “Thank you, King Najjad. Had you not fulfilled the prophecy, we would not have been able to succeed. In any of this, not just with our gift to you. All that we have become, King Najjad, is because of you. Our gift- Elaphan- is hardly a thank you for all that you have done for us. We cherish you greatly, My Saviour.” _

  


Even with all that has happened in the past couple of years, Tony finds the praise and the gratitude to be odd. He blushed, averting his gaze once more to the floor.

  


Ava chuckled at the adorable king.  _ “Come now, King Najjad. Let us reveal to your people the new face of Our Saviour.” _

  
  
  


TBC… 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All of the dialogue in italics is Ixarin and just regular is English. It might get a little confusing with that. Sorry.

For three years, nine months, and six days Tirianna and her people lived in comfortable peace, striving greatly in the quiet. Many advances in many fields occurred: science, medicine, technology, and so much more. Not one child graduated with anything less than an A with how well they were taught- and each one eagerly stayed to work within the kingdom, exploiting their passions and knowledge. Each one willing to help Tirianna to grow. Small children, barely able to stand, ran amuck in the streets, not at all worried about threats. There were none. Tirianna was happy. Free

 

And on top of it all was King Najjad, formerly Tony Stark. Tony created it all: if not for him, none of this could have happened. Had King Najjad not come, these people would have been stranded, doomed to starve and perish. But they didn’t, and he came.

 

With him came peace and quiet and striving and wealth and happiness.

 

Until it was disrupted.

 

It was late Fall, but despite the rain, the weather was warmer that day. Tony was at one of the schools, helping to teach them to read- on one of the tablets, not books, no need to kill a tree for no reason, when in the middle of explaining something, Tony froze, tilting his head to the window.

 

All of the children paused as well, curious as to what garnered their king’s attention. Ava walked over, resting her hand on Tony’s shoulder.  _ “King Najjad? Is all well?” _

 

_ “No,”  _ Tony responded, gently plucking the child off of his lap, depositing her on the floor as he stood. He turned to Ava, face serious.  _ “Assemble the Drenmir and meet me on the West Beach.” _

 

Loyaly, Ava merely let out an  _ ‘Of course, My King’  _ before rushing out of the building to do as she was ordered.

 

Tony turned to the teacher.  _ “Please, send word across the schools and keep all of the children indoors. You will be informed when it is safe.”  _ The teacher nodded, already moving to grab the kids and gather them all together.

 

Satisfied that the word would spread and his people will hide, Tony took off running full speed back to the palace, careful to knock anyone over in his haste.

 

Despite the school’s distance from the palace, Tony reached the palace in mere moments and began shucking his clothes. He tugged on his Drenmir uniform instead: black pants that hugged his toned legs, black shoes that were light and easy to move in, a deep, dark blue- the colour of power and strength and knowledge- short sleeved shirt, and a Lethanium, black vest. He had a black mask, not dissimilar to the Winter Soldier’s, except instead Tony’s cut off just under the chin and wrapped fully around to the back of his head, fully fingerprint matched to Tony alone. The last to go was his crown; Tony took it off, placing it carefully with one of the palace’s maids.

 

Tirianna may be at peace, but Tony always knew this day would come. It was inevitable. But the Drenmir were prepared. Tirianna would be safe.

 

He took off at full speed once more, effortlessly moving within the deep, thick forest that surrounds Tirianna on all sides.

 

Longe before the Drenmir arrived, Tony was at the beach, shoes tickling the water’s edge. His black and blue uniform stood starkly against the white beach and grim clouds. Each of them was dressed similarly to Tony, except their shirts were a rich red- the colour of leadership and courage. Their own sneaker-clad feet made virtually no noise against the sand, but Tony easily heard them long before they broke through the trees.

 

With a raise of his hand, the Drenmir came to a halt a couple of feet away from him, creating a half circle around their king.  _ “Four minutes,”  _ Tony told them. Nobody questioned what Their Saviour meant.

 

Approximately four minutes later, the Drenmir were able to see what their king was so tense about: not too far out anymore was a large black jet.

 

Tony knew instantly whose jet that was: King T’Challa’s of Wakanda. What he was doing out here, Tony had no idea, but Tony wasn’t going to take his arrival lightly. He was  _ not  _ welcome in Tirianna. He would only cause trouble.

 

The Drenmir readied their stances behind him; Tony merely stood there, body loose, staring as the jet got larger the closer it came to Tony’s island.

 

_ “Tomás,”  _ Tony said lowly. He heard the man step forward on his right.  _ “I will need you.” _

 

_ “Yes, My King,”  _ Tomás responded. Once a Mexican citizen, Tomás was surprisingly one of the few left in the kingdom that remembered anything other than Ixarin. In Tomas’s case, the young man remembered both Spanish and English.

 

It was a tense couple of minutes as the warriors waited for the jet to touch down. When it did, it landed only about six feet from Tony; he just stood there, his warriors took a small step back at the wind, water, and sand being thrown around them.

 

The jet door opened.

 

T’Challa didn’t step out- Steve Rogers did.

 

As did the rest of the Avengers.

 

T’Challa followed them out.

 

Tony carefully, purposefully, kept his body calm and loose and his eyes blank. Luckily T’Challa was the one to step closer toward him. The Drenmir stepped too and the man stopped.

 

The Avengers shifted and raised their weapons. They were  _ all  _ armed, Tony noticed. His warriors were not. He could only hope this didn’t end in confrontation.

 

The Black Panther unclasped his mask and took it off, slowly setting it down in the wet sand below him. “We are not here as a threat.” The man said. “We are of no harm.”

 

Tony didn’t understand really; he hasn’t spoken English in years. He caught maybe three words of what T’Challa said. He tipped his head in Tomás’ position, not taking his eyes off of his unwanted guests.

 

_ “He says they are not dangerous.” _ Tomás translated.

 

Tony trusted his thick accent enough for the Avengers to no recognize his voice, so he spoke, not looking away from the group before him, his eyes traveling to roam over all of them. Finally, they settled on Shuri- the Avenger Tony had the least relations with.  _ “Then why are they armed?”  _ He questioned, raising a brow. Even Shuri was clasping some knives in her hands.

 

The team looked back at him with varying looks, certainly unsettled with the foreign language.

 

“Why are you armed?” Tomás asked. “If you are not a threat?”

 

T’Challa tipped his head in acknowledgment. “I do apologize, but this is an unfamiliar island and we knew not what to expect.” T’Challa gestured to Tony and his warriors. “I admit, we did not expect this.”

 

_ “They were expecting a ‘threat’ and were prepared,”  _ Tomás reported. Tony withheld a scoff- there was no way that was the reason for that. The Avengers wanted something.

 

Tony pulled his eyes away from Shuri and glanced at the team once more, studying who was there: Steve, Clint, Thor, Sam, Bucky, even Bruce. And then Shuri. Tony really hoped this didn’t end in confrontation; Shuri was a nice girl and Tony always liked her. He didn’t want to see her get hurt.  _ “Why are they here?”  _ Tony settled his eyes on Natasha’s, meeting her own blank gaze head-on. Tony was actually quite curious about what T’Challa’s answered would be because, clearly, the man was going to lie.

 

Tomás asked- Tony really didn’t like the answer Steve responded with.  _ “They were told of a strange technological reading and their superiors wanted them to check it out.”  _ Tony didn’t by it and, judging by his young warrior’s tone, neither did he.

 

The Avengers had an agenda here, Tony just didn’t know what.

 

_ “Their superiors?”  _ He knew well who their superiors were. Tony just wanted to test if T’Challa and his team were still untrustworthy.

 

“Who are your superiors?” Tomás questioned them. He turned to his king.  _ “The United Nations.” _

 

Tony actually raised a brow at that. They were seriously going to lie about working for SHIELD. Everyone in the world knew of SHIELD’s recovery long before Tony even left. Despite Tony’s desire to make accusations, Tony played along.  _ “The United Nations has no power here. They must leave.” _

 

The ex-Mexican looked steadily at the group. “Your superiors are not ours. You have no right to be here. My King asks that you leave immediately and do not return.”

 

Tony saw the group shift uneasily at whatever Tomás told them, their weapons clicking loudly on the quiet beach. Surprisingly, Shuri seemed to actually lower her knives a bit, staring around at everything around her.

 

T’Challa opened his mouth once more. “We understand your unease, but I am afraid we cannot leave. This is an uncharted, unknown location. We cannot, in good conscious, just leave.”

 

When Tomás relayed what T’Challa just said, Tony bristled. How dare they. Tirianna has done nothing wrong- her people are not a danger to these people. Tony cursed angrily.

 

The Avengers came here, uninvited, unannounced, and bearing weapons. They were the threat.

 

When there was no response from Tony’s warrior, T’Challa swallowed and glance back at his team. Tony watched as the man shared a look with Natasha and Clint before turning back to Tomás. “We will not leave until we are proven that you are of no threat to the world. I promise you, we will leave once we are sure of this.”

 

There are quiet, tense minutes ahead; Tony felt Natasha’s eyes piercing into him this whole time. Staring at Rogers now, Tony motioned for his people to speak.

 

Unsurprisingly, it was Ava that spoke first.  _ “I highly advise against this, My King. The Avengers are of terrible threat. They are the reason many of your people have relocated here. We cannot allow them to see our technology and steal it. It is far too dangerous.” _

 

_ “My Saviour,”  _ Edgar, a dark man in his thirties spoke.  _ “Although it is true the Avengers are dangerous, they will be far more dangerous should we not give them what they want. If they leave here without at least a look around, I guarantee they will be back. Most likely with others.” _

 

_ “We cannot show them our technology!”  _ Ava argued.

 

_ “Well then, maybe we don’t. They have come here without welcome and they are stupidly daring to remain here without invite. We can show them something small, such as the schools or the hospitals. Something that cannot be dared classified as a threat.”  _ Another Drenmir, Abel, spoke.

 

Tony shook his head.  _ “You do not know the Avengers. It will not matter how much or how little they are shown. They are here with an agenda, one that is entirely different from this sad excuse they have made up. They will not be leaving until they achieve it.” _

 

Ava stepped forward, coming to stand only a few inches away from Tony. The Avengers tensed further at her advance. Ava ignored them for the moment.  _ “What shall we do, My Saviour?” _

 

Tony swallowed, finally tearing his gaze away from the Avengers and turning to meet Ava’s eyes. As long as Tony’s been here, he and Ava had gotten so close, she was practically an older sister. Yet, right now, all Tony saw was a frightened college-aged woman, worried about her family.  _ “It does not matter which actions we take. If we allow for them to roam around, they will surely be interested in more. If we send them on their way, they will be back. There is no denying that.” _

 

Tomás spoke up, his voice much softer than it had been when he’d been speaking to the Avengers.  _ “I feel we should allow them to roam. As Abel mentioned, we could possibly take them to the hospital. It will not be busy but there is still plenty there that they can take to their ‘superiors.’ And should they cause trouble, we will be ready for them. We have trained, we are prepared.” _

  
  


The Drenmir were some of the most talented people on the island, that’s why they became warriors. But sometimes Tony forgot that they were also some of the wisest. Every step of the way, they have been by Tony’s side, offering their opinions on anything and everything. They helped make Tirianna what it is just as much as Tony and everyone else did.

 

His gaze traveled back in front of him, this time staring at Thor and his ever calm expression.  _ “Is this what you all desire?” _ Agreement came from the Drenmir, all except for Ava. She remained silent.  _ “Ava?”  _ He asked quietly, knowing well that she heard him.

 

_ “My eyes will not leave them. If they make any sort of move to harm you or anyone, I do not care how it happens, but I will be sure that none of them will ever make it off your island.”  _ She said earnestly. Tony just knew that she was glaring at the Avengers if Bruce’s uneasy shift was anything to go by.

 

Tony nodded.  _ “Very well. Tomás….”  _ He hesitated.

 

Tomás shuffled closer.  _ “My King?” _

 

_ “No weapons are permitted in my kingdom.” _

 

As Tomás relayed this, Tony saw the Avengers hesitate with unease and suspicion. Actually, the only ones to do anything were Thor, Bruce, Sam, and Shuri. Thor set down his hammer, Same disengaged his wings, took out his guns, and placed them by the hammer, Bruce had no weapons, and Shuri easily dropped her knives. The others did nothing.

 

Natasha’s eyes cut deeper into him.

 

Tony snapped.  _ “If you are not removing your weapons from your persons, you must leave. And should you return, we will use force.” _

 

With that translation, the group slowly began laying out their weapons on the sand. T’Challa’s suit melted away back into the necklace and the king of Wakanda took those off and placed them gently with the steadily growing pile of ammunition.

 

Once they were finished and were standing still again, Tony looked at Clint, Natasha, and Steve.  _ “No weapons are permitted. Remove them.” _

 

Tomás followed his gaze and said in a firm, sharp voice. “His Highness said to remove  _ all  _ weapons. They are not permitted.” They again just stood there. “Remove them or we will be forced to remove you from our island.”

 

Thor swept his gaze over the three in a look that resembled disappointment. “It will be best for you to do as you are told. We are in unknown territory. It is best that we respect the wishes of these natives.”

 

Heavy sighs escaped the three of them as they reluctantly removed the last of it. The two spies took some guns out of rather… interesting places and Steve dropped his shield with everything else.

 

Satisfied, Tony nodded. As Tony was turning to speak to his warriors, Bruce spoke up. “Wait. Umm… can we- may we please know your name at least? You all seem to at least know of us.” Bruce shrugged.

 

Staring pointedly at the scientist, Tony thought about the request for the moment. The Avengers wouldn’t be here very long, Tony would make sure of it, and there would be no risks in giving them a name. Right?

 

Matching Tomás’ gaze, Tony nodded. The warrior looked to the Avengers with a strong, leveled looked. “You may call him King Najjad. Nothing different.”

 

“King Najjad? Is he king of… this?” Shuri asked, gesturing to the beach.

 

“Yes. This is all part of King Najjad’s kingdom.” Was the answer.

 

When no questions were forthcoming, Tony turned around, carefully keeping his body relaxed as he turned his back on the enemy and stared at the trees ahead.  _ “Follow me. Touch nothing.” _

 

And they were off. Two of the Drenmir wordlessly remained on the beach, watching over the weapons. Six of them moved to walk in an arc around the Avengers, and the other three, and Ava, walked behind Tony, careful to listen for any distress.

 

Tony started at a brisk pace, not caring as he heard the team scramble to catch up to him. The Drenmir were used to such speeds from their king and remained caught up easily, though those behind the Avengers had to move slower to compensate for the team’s slow pace.

 

They were already well into the trees when Tony heard a voice speak up. It was Shuri. “What King Najjad’s kingdom?”

 

_ “My King?”  _ Tomás asked.  _ “They wish to know your kingdom.” _

 

_ “Tell them what you believe to be needed. I trust you not to reveal anything.” _

 

_ “Of course My King.”  _ The warrior responded. He glanced at Shuri. “He is King Najjad of Tirianna.”

 

“Tirianna?” Shuri asked. She sounded strangely… awed and interested. “That is a lovely name.”

 

Tony heard Tomás falter slightly and nearly paused to check on him when he heard him speak again. “I will tell Our Saviour that.”

 

The Drenmir didn’t get to translate before he was interrupted by Clint. “Beautiful doesn’t mean friendly.”

 

Tomás’ voice went sharp and angry. “You people think us a threat, yet fail to realize that it was you who came here without invitation, brandishing weapons and trying to intimidate us. You believe us a threat, but we are not. Tirianna is a kingdom of amazing wealth. We have no dark deeds.”

 

“Then why do you hide?” Natasha asked. “If you guys aren’t a threat to the world, why are you hidden from the world? Who are you hiding from?”

 

His voice was steady as the Tiriannan responded. “You. People like you are dangerous despite your proclamations of world safety. Yet no care was had when people like us- innocents- died at your hands. We came here for safety and isolation from a world you are killing, one innocent family at a time. After you have seen this ‘proof’ that you need, you will leave here and never discuss Tirianna nor return to Tirianna. We are a kingdom of freedom and safety. We will  _ not  _ have you kill all of us too.”

 

It was silent for a complete ten minutes as the Avengers had no words to that confession. Tomás, after he calmed down enough to speak without growling, explained to Tony what was discussed. Tony’s jaw clenched painfully at the information but said nothing about it, only praised the man for having handled the situation so well. When he mentioned Shuri’s compliment about Tirianna to lighten the mood, Tony couldn’t help the smile that stretched out beneath his mask. Shuri was always so curious about many things. Tony always liked that about her.

 

Plus, she was the only one who hadn’t screwed him in one form or another.

 

The beach was far from the kingdom and at Tony’s quick steps, they would reach it in only a few more minutes, normally at least an hour walk for a normal citizen. Tony’s just lucky there were no people on this beach then.

 

Tony wanted these people gone. He didn’t trust them.

 

They were only going to cause trouble.

 

Tony just knew it.

  
  
  


TBC… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the wait, I have just been incredibly busy. Also, I apologize for not responding to all of your comments. I have read every one and I cherish them greatly.
> 
> Also, I would love to thank Lady_Williams for giving an amazing suggestion on what I could do about the whole Rhodey situation. Any time I add anything from her suggestion, I will be adding that this was written by myself and Lady_Williams. I will always give out credit when it is necessary.
> 
> I'm not too sure how I feel about some of this chapter, but I will accept criticism.

Tony’s heart thumped painfully in his chest as Tirianna was in sight- well, everyone else’s sight, Tony saw it long ago.

 

Tirianna was his home, his kingdom, and he was bringing these dangerous, deadly people here. It wasn’t a smart move, but Tony knew it was better than having them come back later. There was no doubt in Tony’s mind that these people would come back, bringing most likely Fury and SHIELD with them. Though, Tony can only fear what they will bring back to Fury should they see everything.

 

That’s why Tony had to be smart about this.

 

If he let them see too much, it wouldn’t end well. Yet, if he didn’t show them enough, it would end even worse.

 

Tony led them to Silverwood, Tirianna’s second largest medical facility, aptly named after the first Tiriannan to pass away, Pearl Silverwood.

 

They passed multiple gardens and farms and houses, but Tony did not allow them to linger. He kept his eyes ahead and continued forward, heading for the tall building closer to the edge of the kingdom.

 

Tony stopped just outside the doors and turned around, causing the Avengers to stumble back to prevent themselves from running into Tony. They looked at the king expectantly, while also trying to quick some glances at everything around them. They looked completely awed and amazed. Tony couldn’t help but notice that Shuri looked the most fascinated, actively ignoring everything else to stare at something she found absolutely fascinating. The smile on her face caused a small one to form on Tony’s behind his mask.

 

Before all of this, Shuri has always been with him in his workshop, admiring everything that he was able to accomplish with such limited technology, even offering some solutions to compensate for the technology that the rest of that world couldn’t have that Wakanda did. She was always interested in learning something new, and it looked like that spark hadn’t changed. Tony always liked Shuri best, next to Rhodey, Pepper, and Happy, of course.

 

Pulling his gaze from the young woman, Tony met Natasha’s, whose eyes were painfully sharp as they glared through him. Tony was unfaltered as he announced,  _ “This is one of our medical facilities. Do not touch anything and most of all, do not stare. Here, you will find what you have come here for. You have noticed strange technological readings, here is the reason why. The marvels of our hospitals are the best in the world.” _

 

As Tomás translated, Tony took a moment to breathe and calm his nerves a bit. None of this was a good idea, but he had to. This was the safest place for the Avengers to observe without them coming to the wrong conclusions. Here, they would be able to see that Tirianna was a kingdom meant only to help her people.

 

The moment Tony heard his warrior finish speaking, he turned on his heel and marched inside, not allowing the Avengers to get any words in. No doubt, did they have some comments, but Tony really didn’t want to hear it. He just wanted these people gone.

 

Despite everything being on lockdown, the doors opened for Tony with ease, the door’s cameras sensors catching Tony’s familiar frame.

 

The Avengers were cautious as they stepped through the wide, mechanical doors, staring around the pale blue walls of the hospital waiting room. Really, the hospital didn’t look very different from one they would find in America. The walls were decorated nicely, giving a warm vibe, the floors were a dark vinyl, the chairs were thickly cushioned in a surprisingly sparse amount, potted plants were placed strategically around, and there was a corner of the room put together with what looked like children’s toys and furniture. With a quick glance down a hallway to the left, they saw that the same flooring and wallpaper bleed over there too.

 

Tony continued forward, taking notice of the absence of the desk clerks. Tony was glad for that; it meant they were either in a hospital room with other staff and patients, or they were in the basement. Both were protocols Tony had put into place in the beginning, knowing this day would come.

 

Tirianna’s king could practically sense the Avengers’s curiosity and skepticism about the place as he led them further into the building. He walked them over to the large elevator. As he pressed the button and waited he heard Shuri speak once more. Tomás stepped closer to Tony to speak into his ear.  _ “This one, she is quite curious, yes? She is different from the others.” _

 

With a nod, Tony met the taller man’s eyes.  _ “She is. What has she said?” _

 

_ “She finds this all fascinating. She seems...excited. Should we be concerned, My Saviour?” _

 

Tony was a maybe too quick in shaking his head.  _ “No, Tomás. I am positive she is not here of her own choice. Whatever interest she displays is her own.” _

 

_ “Of course, King Najjad. May I tell them which floor we are headed to?” _

 

_ “Yes, Tomás. We are making our way to the research levels. They have been evacuated, I’m sure, but we may still be able to show them something our scientists and doctors have been working on.” _

 

_ “Thank you, My Saviour.”  _ Tomás relayed the information as they were riding the elevator, answering any questions loosely, careful to not give anything away. Tony was being honest before; he completely trusted the warrior to not tell the Avengers anything they could possibly use against Tirianna and her people.

 

The shiny doors of the elevator opened up to level seven, the Research and Development Levels of Silverwood.

 

As Tony hoped, the level was clear of any persons, but there were still some projections and 3D models up and running. None of Tirianna’s research was dangerous, but the scientists and doctors working on it no doubt wanting the bigger projects to be stolen or copied for the world to use.

 

In fact, Tony knows, if they did get their hands on some of that research, there was no doubt that Fury and the rest of SHIELD would be invading Tirianna in a matter of hours. Tirianna focused on medical aid and technology, but SHIELD would definitely find a way to weaponize it.

 

Down the hallway, just behind a pair of large, glass, automatic double-doors, was the Silverwood main research laboratory. Each item was shiny and futuristic and was no doubt more advanced than anything the rest of them have ever seen, including T’Challa and Shuri. Judging by the awed looks each of the Avengers, Tony’s assumption was right.

 

Shuri’s dark eyes were wide and delighted, eagerly glancing about the room in quick, longing succession. Uncaring that several of Tirianna’s guard’s eyes were on her, Shuri stepped away from the group, towards one of the holographic 3D models in the corner of the room.

 

A large, brightly coloured model of a human heart was on display, rotating around slowly in the air. Not just any heart, though; this was the heart of little Owen Byrd, a young boy of twelve. Tony and the scientists had corrected his massive tumour a year ago, not long after it was noticed, but many of the students learned off of that case. It was Tiranna’s proudest success- not a single person more has died from cancer of any type. Each and every one had been found, treated, and cured quickly and efficiently. 

 

Shuri smiles like a madman as she reaches her hand out, twisting the heart this way and that, getting closer looks at the misshapen heart. The young woman seems fascinated with it. She looks up and speaks, her eyes glinting with curiosity and intelligence.

 

_ “She would like to know if we have helped whoever this heart belongs to.” _

 

Tilting his head a bit, ignoring the rest of the group as they finally scatter and begin to look around, Tony walked up near Shuri.  _ “Yes. Owen is fully recovered and extremely healthy. As are the rest of the Tiriannans.” _

 

An ecstatic gleam shone in her eyes as they met Tony’s. “Have you cured cancer?”

 

With the translation, Tony couldn’t help the smile that appeared beneath his mask.  _ “To a point. We have been successful in curing many Tiriannans, but there are some who are still affected by cancer and other such diseases. However, those few who remain with it, any traces of it are nearly undetectable and do not harm their person in any way. We are very close to a definite cure, but we have not gotten there yet.” _

 

A look of absolute fascination crossed Shuri’s face, making her look younger still. She let out a laugh as she clapped a hand over her mouth to try and cover her large grin. “This is so amazing! You and your people have come farther than anyone I have seen. It will take Wakanda at least another few years to reach this point!”

 

For his part, Tony’s face remained passive as she mentioned her home and ignored T’CHalla’s sharp  _ ‘Shuri’ _ at the mention. Tony paid them no mind, instead choosing to send the man a pointed look as he stepped just a bit closer to Shuri. Shuri looked up at the king as he stepped closer but only smiled still. “Is there more?” She questioned, raising her eyebrow at him.

 

_ “Of course.” _

  
  


Tony and Shuri speak for near half an hour, with Bruce and, surprisingly, Barnes wandering over not too far in, listening intently to the translations as Tony relayed each new case he brought up. Barnes seemed a bit lost on most of the information, Bruce admitted to only understanding a majority of it, but Shuri seemed to have a good grasp on Tony’s brief tellings. Despite never having heard some of it before, Shuri truly was a genius and caught on very quickly to what was going on, not hesitating to ask questions about what she didn’t quite get.

 

Surprisingly, Tony, during those thirty minutes, actually had a great time. Tiriannans were smart, yes, but none of them were as bright as Tony was an could keep up. Speaking with Bruce and Shuri, really, even speaking with Barnes, was refreshing and exciting.

 

Despite his excitement, Tony still kept his body relaxed and calmed, his eyes constantly drifting around the room to notice everything that everyone else was doing. None of them seemed too alarming, with Sam and Thor in one corner, giggling like toddlers over an image they found. But in the center of the room again were T’Challa, Rogers, Romanov, and Barton.

 

None of them were actually speaking, but instead were having a seemingly intense conversation with just their eyes. Rogers, Romanov, and Barton were all glaring heatedly at T’Challa, clearly not liking something they either found or heard.

 

_ “Is there trouble?”  _ Tony asked, projecting his voice so they could hear him.

 

Tomás, noticing his saviour’s attention, turns his body towards the group. They turned when they heard Tony’s voice and Rogers even had the good grace to look sheepish at having been caught in the midst of their little chat. “Is something that matter?”

 

Steve’s mouth opens, ready to speak, but T’Challa beats him to it. “We have merely been admiring your laboratory. This is all very advanced and… new. My colleagues and I are simply  _ concerned _ about all of this.”

 

The warrior’s eyes go sharp as they narrow and he turns to Tony. _ ”They have some concerns.”  _ He relayed.

 

_ “Of what kind?” _

 

_ “They seem to not know how to react to all of this.” _

 

_ “Ah.”  _ Tony sighed heavily and stepped away from the table, walking steadily over to T’Challa and his little group.  _ “So they are deciding how they want to make us look like a threat of some kind.”  _ He thought about it for a moment, not even caring to hide his upset at their feelings. The gall they had, to come to Tirianna, Tony’s  _ home _ , and accuse him of being the bad guy.  _ “This lab is Tirianna’s finest. We have studied and created a great amount here. In both technology and also medicine. My kingdom is of great health and care. We are of no threat.” _

 

“Why don’t you share this with the rest of the world?” Thor asked, raising his arms and gesturing to the room at large.

 

Tony met his gaze.  _ “Because the world is not ready for it. Everything you see here is made from technology of my own invention. If we gave this to the world, nothing but trouble and death.” _

 

Sam stood up at that. “How are you so sure of this?” His voice wasn’t accusing, it was filled with actual curiosity.

 

_ “You all seem to forget that we lived in that same world before we built Tirianna. We are sure because it has happened before. The world is not ready for this.” _

 

Steve raised a thick brow, starring Tony down. “So you withhold health care and cures from the world just because you think the world isn’t ready?”

 

_ “Yes. I see it now. If I allowed you the knowledge of how our more advanced projects worked, I am positive nothing will be used properly nor for the right people. That is just how the world is and I will not risk my people’s lives because people are far too immature to understand anything other than war.” _

 

No one seemed to really have an answer to that. Probably because they knew Tony was right. He didn’t know what they were here for, but he was positive that if his technology made it into their hands, the world would be suffering from it, purposefully or not.

 

He met the eyes of each Avenger again, then turned back to look fully at T’Challa.  _ “This is Tirianna. We do not create weapons and we are not a threat. Now that you have seen that and have witnessed what we are, I ask that you leave. Leave Tirianna and never come back. The world does not need to know about us and neither do your superiors. Tirianna may not be a threat to you and those you claim to protect, but we are also not your allies. The Drenmir will show you back to your jet.” _

 

“But-” Steve tried, but Tony was quick to turn on him.

 

_ “You saw what you wanted. Now leave and never come back.”  _ Tony said sharply, happy to hear that it was translated that way too.

 

It took a couple of minutes, the Avengers were arguing with each other, about what, Tony didn’t know, but it looked like Rogers, Barton, and Romanov were rather angry about something.

 

As they began shuffling out, Tony remained in his spot in the center of the room. He heard steps come up to him, but he did not turn his head, instead, he stared at the backs of the Avengers that were walking out the door.

 

“King Najjad?” At the sound of his name, Tony actually turned, only to be met with Shuri and Barnes. Shuri’s smile had faded away, but her eyes were still bright. Barnes seemed hunched in on himself, staring down at the floor.

 

Keeping his voice quiet and trying to be as clear as he could, Tony responded in English. “Yes?”

 

Confusion etched onto Barnes' face and excitement lit up Shuri’s. She practically clapped her hands together as she spoke, her voice just as quiet as Tony’s. “You speak English?”

 

Tony looked to Tomás, who had stepped closer when Shuri and Barnes approached his king.  _ “She thinks you speak English.” _

 

Tony grinned, looking back to the two in front of him. He thought for a moment about the correct wording before speaking. “Some.” It came out more as a question, but Shuri and Barnes seemed to understand just fine as they nodded.

 

“Oh,” Shuri said. “I just wanted to thank you. You did not have to show us, but you did. And I am grateful. You have all accomplished so much and it is just fascinating to see. James and I had a wonderful time listening to you. We are sorry for our teammates actions.”

 

He ignored the curiosity that welled up in his gut at Shuri’s calling Barnes James. Even before Tony had left, Shuri and the man hadn’t seemed that close. Tony just shook his head.  _ “There is no need to apologize. Their faults are not yours. I am glad you were so interested in our work. I have not had the chance to work with someone as advanced as you in quite some time. It was...refreshing.” _

 

Shuri, still smiling away at Tony’s words, raised her hand slowly, grasping Tony’s limp left one in her’s. “Thank you. It is unfortunate we cannot do this again. It was as refreshing for James and I as it was for you. It is not very often someone listens to us.”

 

Tony’s eyes narrowed even as his eyebrows shot up. What had happened while Tony had been away?

 

Not wanting to press any further, but wanting the Avengers gone, Tony just nodded his head softly.  _ “I understand, believe me. I have been grand having you two here, at least. It was my pleasure talking to the both of you. It is a shame you cannot return. Goodbye.”  _ Tony bowed his head at them and stepped away, making his way towards the windows.

 

It kind of hurt, dismissing Shuri like that, he’s always been fond of her and her curiosity, but they had to leave. All of them. Even now, Tony knew that he let them stay in Tirianna for far too long. He blamed himself. He got sucked into the whirlwind that was Shuri, Barnes, and Bruce. The entire time Tony had been here, he had not come across any woman or man that had been able to follow everything. He always had to go back and explain something. Tiriannans were smart, incredibly so, but sometimes it still wasn’t enough for Tony- speaking with someone who understood felt incredible and refreshing.

 

He heard his warriors leave with the Avengers, ushering them out quietly while the team whispered harshly at each other. Tony may have heard them, but he didn’t understand very much of what was being said. Though, he had no doubt that they were unhappy with Tony’s kicking them out.

 

He stood there for a few minutes, looking out the window. When the large group came out, the Drenmir surrounding the Avengers, Tony saw Barnes look up towards the window, face just as blank as it had alway been. Tony stared back at him, his bright eyes meeting Barnes’s. Something flashed within them, something Tony couldn’t place completely, but as Tony continued to stare, Barnes tipped his head down in a slow, obvious nod.

 

Tony’s eyes widened and he stepped back away from the window and back into the room. The look on Barnes’s face, the movements of his body, just seemed to be… knowing.

 

Confused, Tony stayed in that room until the group was out of sight. When they were, Tony made his way down stairs to let everyone know they could come out. The Avengers were leaving, hopefully for good.

  
  
  
  


Tony’s hope vanished with that first flash of lightning and the sounds of impact.

  
  
  


TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A longer chapter today. Also: I love reading your guys' comments and suggestions, so please, any that you have, or even if you just want to say hello, feel free to.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Bright, blue light filtered throughout the entire hospital, nearly blinding Tony’s sensitive eyes. He stood in an empty hallway on the first floor, heading toward the back when the light came. Not a moment later, the heavy sounds of impact echoed loudly.

 

Tony paused mid-step, listening. A few seconds passed without a sound until, suddenly, as if she’d been standing at the end of the hall, Tony heard Eva.  _ “King Najjad!” _

 

He was running before he could really process anything.

 

Tony was fast.

 

Faster than any enhanced baring Pietro Maximoff.

 

The Avengers weren’t too far into the travels back to the beach, only having left about twelve minutes ago. At the most, they were reaching the edge of the treeline.

 

Tony made it there in barely a minute, easily dodging long memorized buildings, trees, and other obstructions.

 

He found them on one of the farms. They were all scattered about with a loud, small crowd standing in the center. It actually took a moment for Tony to realize what he was looking at” Rogers and Thor were sprawled on the ground, trading powerful blows with one another. There was no hammer in sight, but Thor was surrounded by buzzing lightning anyway; it crackled from his hands and lit up his eyes. T’Challa and most of the Drenmir stood around the two, trying to pull them apart. It wasn’t working out very well for Tirianna’s warrior, and even T’Challa was struggling to pull the large god off of Rogers. The rest of the Avengers were back out of the way, but Tony noticed that Romanov and Barton were flat on their stomachs on the ground, being held there by a few Drenmir even as they squirmed to get up. Tony allowed himself a moment of pride at his warriors' skills before he ran forward once more. The Drenmir struggling to pull the two Avengers apart, noticing the arrival of their king, backed off, allowing Tony to walk up behind the three, grasp T’Challa by his collar, and toss him off to the side. The Wakandan was so shocked by the action that he remained down.

 

Tony ignored him and focused his icy gaze on Thor and Rogers. He bent, quickly forcing his hand between the two before they had the chance to react, and  _ pushed.  _ Not much strength was put into the action, but it was strong enough that the two of them went flying away, landing a good four feet from where they had been.

 

Shocked eyes gazed at Tony, but he was too busy to notice as he was glaring dangerously between the two seething Avengers. Rogers and Thor, still kneeling on the floor, had eyes only for each other as their fists clenched and their bodies twitched with the need to attack. Rogers’s eyes, however, lost some of the anger as he truly realized what just happened and he turned wide eyes on Tony, where the young king was standing between them.

 

“What the-” Rogers cut himself off when Tony’s purple eyes met his. They were sharp and dangerous, and Tony noticed Rogers lift his chin just the smallest amount more.

 

_ “What is going on?”  _ Tony demanded, his voice tight from his clenched jaw.

 

Ava spoke to Tony before Tomás could translate to the Avengers what they were saying.  _ “They were arguing, my Saviour. Before we could intervene, they were fighting.” _

 

_ “About what?” _

 

_ “Going to their superiors,”  _ Tomás said, taking the hint and not translating to the Avengers, even as they grumbled and protested about not knowing what was being said. He held Barton just a little tighter as the archer squirmed.  _ “Captain Rogers wants to go to the United Nations, still, and alert them to our presence.” _

 

Tony was pissed. Of course, this wasn’t good enough for them, nothing Tony ever did was good enough for Rogers and his band of misfits.

 

The king took a deep breath.  _ “We cannot allow them to go to the United Nations. We have worked far too hard to keep Tirianna pure and safe. If we allow them to leave, they will only bring destruction and chaos.” _

 

_ “What should we do, my King?”  _ Ava asked.

 

Tony stared at the Avengers, taking good looks at their faces. Most of them were either surprised or angry, but when he looked, Tony saw that Barnes and Shuri, who had stepped back when the two blondes had been thrown, stared at him with a blank face and curious expression, respectively.

 

When Tony didn’t offer a response, Ava stepped closer and put her hand on Tony’s arm.  _ “Najjad?” _

 

His purple eyes closed as Tony took a moment to just breathe. Beyond the protests the Avengers were throwing about, Tony could hear, not too far from them, a few cows eating grass, some dogs barking down a few pathways, birds chirping in the trees high above them.

 

It was extremely reckless and stupid, what Tony was about to do, and Tony wanted nothing more than for the Avengers to leave and never come back, but this would be the only way to ensure that Tirianna was safe, until such a time came when Tony could trust the Avengers to not bring Ross over. He couldn’t let the United Nations know of Tirianna and all that she contained. It would lead only to trouble.  _ “Arrest them.” _

 

Ava stilled.  _ “Pardon?” _

 

Tony opened his eyes, turning to stare at T’Challa where the man was still looking up at him.  _ “Arrest them.” _

 

He was met with silence for a moment.  _ “Which ones?” _

 

_ “All of them. We cannot allow for them to leave and risk them telling the world about Tirianna.”  _ Tony said.

 

_ “But we do not have any cuffs or even a cell throughout the entire kingdom,”  _ Tomás explained, ignoring the group as their protests got a little louder.

 

The Avengers knew what was going to happen, Tony realized, and they knew that there was nothing they could do to prevent this.

 

Tony gestured to the barn not too far from where they were all standing.  _ “If they do not agree to come along quietly, then we will use the ropes from the farm, They will hold, but will not cause injury. But they cannot leave.” _

 

_ “Where should we take them?”  _ Ava asked.

 

Tomás shrugged before Tony could respond.  _ “What about the palace. Many people are there at a time so eyes will always be on them in case they step out of line.” _

 

_ “But if we take them there,”  _ Started Ryan, one of the Drenmir’s older warriors, about his early forties.  _ “Then King Najjad is at risk. We cannot put our saviour in danger.” _

 

Tony spoke.  _ “I appreciate your concern, Ryan, but I would very much prefer my life being in danger than my people’s lives. But you are right, Tomás, there are many people within the palace. If I am in trouble, then someone will know. But I do highly doubt that they will attempt anything with so many people as witnesses.” _

 

Ava raised her eyebrows and Tony could just imagine her frown behind her mask.  _ “Are you sure this is entirely wise, my King? Children live there, too.” _

 

_ “I understand, Ava. But I promise they will be much safer with the Avengers in the tower where myself and the Drenmir can keep an eye on them. If we tucked them away in some building, then there is no promising that the rest of the kingdom will be safe.” _

 

_ “I do not think this very wise, my king, as I will always put your safety before anyone else’s. But if you believe this is how it should be, for the sake of Tirianna, then I will follow you wholly.”  _ Ava was met with a chorus of agreement from the rest of the Drenmir.

 

Tony nodded, pleased with his warriors.  _ “I am glad. Tomás, please inform them that they are under arrest. If they do not comply quietly, then we will have no choice but  to extend some force.” _

 

The moment could tell the moment Tomás finished talking: the Avengers, all except for Shuri, Barnes, Bruce, and Thor, gaze out loud protests. Barton and Rogers actively attempted to get fight their way, but Barton was pushed back down by the couple of Drenmir on him, while Tony easily rushed forward to press his hand to Steve’s chest, holding the super soldier to the floor.   
  


Tony saw the disbelief in Steve’s eyes as he held him down effortlessly, but he turned his head and nodded to a Drenmir, gesturing to the barn. The young man, for his part, didn’t even question it. He just ran towards the barn to retrieve the rope.

 

Angry shouts and accusations, no doubt, are the loud roars that are filling Tony’s sensitive ears, but Tony can’t be sure as to what they’re actually saying. Tony glanced around, checking on his warriors and the Avengers. T’Challa is obviously protesting pretty angrily, but the man doesn’t need to yet be held back, so a Drenmir stands close, ready to grab ahold of him should he become violent. Wilson is now being held back, but he seemed more like he was trying to get to Rogers more than he was trying to protest- though, he looked extremely pissed. Banner had turned a little green, no doubt overwhelmed by what was going on and angry that he was going to be arrested for Rogers’s and Thor’s actions. Romanov was still laid out on her stomach on the grass, but her face was carefully blank, not revealing any sort of emotion. Planning, Tony thought. She was probably thinking of a way to get out of this. Thor, despite his still kneeling on the ground, wasn’t fighting it. Instead, the large god allowed a couple of Drenmir to pull him to his feet, his eyes traveling between Tony and Rogers. His own face was as blank as Natasha’s now, but his eyes continued to glow and his fists crackled every few seconds.

 

Barnes and Shuri are the only two still standing without a Drenmir hovering nearby. Shuri’s hands are raised in the universal sign of surrender, not wanting to cause any more problems that her team hasn’t already. Barnes just stood there next to Shuri, fairly close to her side, watching the proceedings with a careful eye. The ex-assassin didn’t look ready to attack, but he did look ready to intervene if anything required him to.

 

Rogers continued to shout beneath Tony, looking up at him with so much hate and anger within his eyes. Not two minutes later, the warrior comes back with several feet of rope hanging over his shoulder.

 

At Tony’s request, the man tossed a few towards Barton’s area and Tony. After a moment, Tony nodded to T’Challa as well, despite the man’s eyes meeting Tony’s in a placating gesture.  _ “The others will not attack. Trust me. I want these ones secured. They cannot make it off this island. They have threatened the safety of Tirianna and her people. They cannot leave.” _

 

With the three Avengers’s hand tied securely behind their back, Tony leads them off of the farm and down one of the side paths, making his way toward the main pathway. Rogers squirms in his hold, clearly irked with what was going on and his inability to escape Tony’s hold. Tony had no trouble holding the man still; he merely shifted his hold so his hand was gripped around the bit knot hold Rogers’s hands together and held him tightly, easing the flailing he was against with the one hand. A quick check proved that a few Drenmir were holding Barton still and Thor and T’Challa were walking calming between their guards. Romanov was walking peacefully as well, but her eyes were on Tony- her gaze was practically burning a hole in the back of Tony’s head. The rest of the Avengers- Thor, Banner, Barnes, Wilson, and Shuri- were walking by without issue. Some Drenmir were eying them of course but they were not attempting to resist their arrests.

 

Tony had to hand it to them. The last time he got in trouble by someone else’s mistake, he went kicking and screaming. They were just taking it all in. They realized they had no power in all of this and just rolled with it.

 

Tony turned back around, jerked Rogers back in front of him and marched on.

  
  


The streets were empty the entire way, and Tony couldn’t have been gladder- his people were away, hidden, so they could not see what was going on. They wouldn’t feel endangered.

 

Tomorrow morning Tony would hold a meeting, of course, alerting his people to their visitors, but for now, they were better off not knowing. Tony didn’t want them to panic. Not yet. He wouldn’t be able to deal with it if they did.

 

As they neared the castle, he felt Rogers go still in his arms, finally walking of his own accord. Tony paid him no mind as he continued on.

 

They were impressed- the castle was large and beautiful. Most likely unlike anything they’d seen as of yet.

 

Only a few yards away were the large, stone steps leading to the walkway of the palace. Just like the rest of the kingdom, the pathway was only a thick strip of grass, bordered by plants and trees and flowers and berries. A few rabbits hopped out of the way as the large group walked further, stepping onto the fresh grass. At the end of the path, still framed by the lively wildlife, was an enormous circular patch of stone. In the center, a grand, marble fountain stood, spraying clean spurts of water. The tiered fountain had three layers, each layer trickling recycled, clear water into the next to finally come to a rest in a large pool of it in the large bowl. All of the water came from a sprout on the top, which arched high and lovely through the air. Designed by Tiriannans themselves, drawings were etched into the marble; fancy waves and subtle flowers and impeccable ridges that complemented the large fountain.

 

Tony hadn’t actually wanted the extravagance of the palace; it was only put up because of Tiriannans. They wanted the best for their saviour.

 

In his grasp, Rogers begins to struggle again, tossing himself from side to side, but behind them, Tony doesn’t hear any further protesting from Barton or Romanov.  _ “We will put these three in a room separate from the others. There remain two rooms on the third floor, we will hold them all there.”  _ He announces.

 

All of the Drenmir share a look.  _ “My King? So close to yourself? What if they get out?” _

 

_ “Those doors open only for me if locked. The one housing these three will remain so until we find something more suitable.” _

 

_ “The others will roam freely?” _ Ava asks.

 

Tony shakes his head.  _ “Of course not. There will be at least two of you for every one of them. I do not want these people harming Tirianna, but I also do not want to cause further conflict by locking the innocent ones in a room. They will go where you allow them to, no further.”  _ Tony says, making his way through the great doors.

 

There are no elevators, so Tony’s stuck with dragging a resisting Rogers up three flights of the grand stairs. It’s not actually all that hard, but Tony does wish that the man would stop wiggling around so much.

 

When the entire group does finally reach the correct floor, Tony leads them through a maze of halls. Tony opens the door to the room at the very end of the hall. Once Tony has Rogers, Barton, and Romanov in the room, the other two glaring at him but no longer struggling, Tony orders for the Drenmir to release them. Surprisingly, only Rogers is the one to move: long before his fist is even fully clenched near his body, Tony has it in his grasp and is using it to toss the man onto the bed. Tony steps out of the room before the others can react. With the metal-painted-to-look-like-wood door is closed and locked, Tony looks back to the rest of the group, ignoring the yelling he can hear through the soundproof door.

 

All of them are staring at him with varying expressions. It’s T’Challa who speaks, “What will happen with them? With us? The United Nations will eventually send someone in to find us.”

 

At the translation, Tony nods.  _ “Your teammates will remain in this room until either Tiriannans can figure out a solution for them or until your superiors come to collect all of you. They pose threats- in fact you all do. The only reason the rest of you are not suffering this same fate is because you were not actively involved in the fighting. And this one,”  _ He points to Thor,  _ “Was not fighting out of suspicion for Tirianna. However, each of you will be monitored closely. Tirianna will wait for someone to come to us, we will not go to them, so you all will remain within the island until such a time has come. Until then, yourself and the rest of your team will be allowed to roam. Tiriannans will continue their days, but you cannot fault them if they are undeterred by your unwelcome presence. Should any of you cause any sort of trouble for Tiriannans or our land, then you will be declared prisoners of mine and you will be joining your friends in your room. You are not prisoners, but you are also not guests. Do not ruin the freedom I am gifting to you.” _ Tony watches as everything is translated, taking note of their faces as they gather the information. A few of them look surprised but grateful, a couple look nervous, but it is once again Shuri and Barnes’s reactions that spark interest in Tony: neither of them seems to be really paying attention, instead their eyes are wandering around the parts of the palace they can see and out the windows, staring out at the beautiful, clean city. After a moment, Tony continues,  _ “You all shall remain in your room for the rest of the eve. Someone will bring you food and more blankets and pillows. There is only one bed, but plenty of space remains for all of you. In the morning I shall let you out after I have finished informing my people of your presence. Should you need anything, just not on the door. They cannot open it, but they will open a line so they can hear you. Am I clear?” _

 

After a moment, affirmatives come from the team, still partnered with different looks. Tony opens the door, gesturing them all inside.  _ “Have a good night.” _ The door is closed and sealed before Tony turns around to address his Drenmir.

 

_ “I would like two of you at either door, please. Rotations will be made on every second hour. I do apologize for all of this. I knew not what to do.” _

 

Ava is the one to grab his hand firmly, squeezing it.  _ “Be well, My Saviour. No accounters with outsiders has occurred before today. It was bound to happen eventually. And I can honestly say that you reacted and it all beautifully. None of us would have been able to do so.” _

 

The Drenmir agree, patting Tony’s back and smiling at their young king. Tony smiles back.  _ “Thank you. All of you. I am beyond pleased to have such noble men and women within my presence every day.” _

 

_ “Anything for you, Our Saviour. Now, you much go allow your people peace. It has been some time and they are no doubt antsy for information. We will go collect everything from the beach.” _

 

All Tony can do is smile greatly at his people, pulling off his mask, exposing his young, intelligent face.  _ “Thank you.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys enjoyed!


	5. Chapter 5

As expected, Tiriannans aren’t very happy. After Tony gave the OK to come out, there was an immediate uproar of fear and anger among the people. Fear at being found; Anger at being found by the Avengers and essentially invaded by them.

 

Residents of the palace- the elderly and the ones who were too frightened to live alone anymore- remained gathered on the ground floor, unwilling to go upstairs and be near their invaders.

 

_ “They are dangerous,”  _ One exclaimed.

 

_ “Allowing for them to stay will end only in death,”  _ Another added.

 

_ “But we can’t just let them leave! They know we are here- they’ll lead others to us.” _ Someone countered.

 

And it went on.

 

Everyone was in a panic and Tony honestly could not blame them. The Avengers were the entire reason these people were isolated from the world in the first place. Most of them lost their families to these people. For too long they had been suffering from the Avengers’ battles, and Tony had sworn to them they would not need to any longer. And now the Avengers were here, on Tirianna, locked inside one of Tony’s bedrooms.

 

Tony stood at the top of the stairs, connected to every device in Tirianna. With the pressure of just the people in the palace looking at him and knowing the cameras are live and broadcasting to every Tiriannan has Tony swallowing down his nerves. With faux confidence, he speaks,  _ “Please, Tiriannans, hear my voice. Listen to it… All of what you heard is true; the Avengers are here. The Drenmir found them this morning on one of the beaches… -Wrongly, we assumed we could quietly and peacefully prove to them that we are no threat to the world and they would be on their way. We believed showing them who we really are would settle their suspicions and they would grant us their leave. One of the hospitals was shown to them- nothing extravagant- but enough to prove to them we were not threats. But it was not enough. Currently, the Avengers are locked up here, in the palace, along with King T’Challa of Wakanda and his sister, Princess Shuri. They are not armed, but I advise all of us to not underestimate their strengths. Should we keep them locked away here, they will surely fight their way out of Tirianna… I have been unable to give it much thought, but I have formed only two ways of this ending. Tiriannans, I ask you: what of the Avengers? Will we let them out of their room and grant them reign of Tirianna and prove to them we are not their enemy?... Or, will we keep them locked away and wait for their own allies to come collect them? If that happens, I cannot guarantee they will come peacefully. I ask you this because I do not know what to do. I do not wish to Tirianna to have enemies… but I cannot trust the Avengers to be our allies… There is only one thing I can promise you: no matter what happens- no matter what decision you choose- you will be protected. Harm will not come to any of you- even if that means my own life is lost for it. Please, decide quickly, but with thoughts of Tirianna’s safety. Do not allow these people to ruin your lives again… I will wait until tomorrow to hear your decisions.” _

 

Things are silent now, as Tiriannans stare at him with varying expressions. Surprisingly, none of them look angry, just upset and scared. Normally, Tony stands proud, but right now his shoulders slump and he wants nothing more than to break down.

 

He’s failed Tirianna.

 

Unwillingly, tears spring into his eyes and a couple slip down his cheek. An older Tiriannan steps out of the crowd and makes her way up the steps. Charlotte slips past the Drenmir, ignores the stares of the other Tiriannans, and walks right up to Tony. Her small, shaky hands cup his cheeks and she looks him in the eyes,  _ “I think you should go rest, My King. This day has been stressful.” _

 

Tony shakes his head,  _ “I’m sorry,”  _ he whispers.

 

Charlotte tilts her head at him,  _ “For what?” _

 

_ “For failing all of you,” _ Below them, Tiriannans suck in shock breaths, but the two continue to ignore them for now.

 

_ “My King,”  _ Charlotte’s voice is firm,  _ “You have not failed us. There is no way you could have seen any of this coming.” _

 

_ “But I was an Avenger. All of you suffered from me before- and now it is possible you will suffer again.” _

 

Behind them, the entire crowd is quiet now and the Drenmir’s masks are off; their faces are a mix of sympathy and sadness.

 

So, they have made their decisions, then. At least the Tiriannans currently in the palace. No doubt the others are on their way here now.

 

Sighing sadly, Charlotte rests her hand on Tony’s shoulder and shuffles closer to him with a small smile,  _ “You are tired, My King, I must insist you go to bed.”  _ Without even realizing it, tears are spilling from Tony’s eyes; Charlotte wipes them away without saying a word about them.  _ “Go on upstairs. Someone will be up in a little while to bring you dinner. I don’t care if you’re hungry or not- you’re going to be eating it. Tirianna needs you to be in your best condition. Now, go.” _

 

So much lies on his shoulders right now Tony doesn’t even have it in him to argue with the woman. He merely nods his head, allowing himself a few seconds to just breathe, before making his way up the stairs. His feet take him all the way to his floor and walk down the hallway. They pause just outside of the room just beside Tony’s own- the room the unguilty Avengers are in. He wants to go in there, demand they leave and never come back, but he doesn’t want to see them, either. He just wishes this day hadn’t happened to begin with. Tirianna was happy and safe just this morning and now Tony has no idea what to do to help them.

 

Tired, Tony forces himself to continue walking until he is in his room with the door firmly shut behind him as if it’ll protect him from his responsibilities.

 

Safely hidden in his room, Tony strips his clothing, changes into soft pants and a long sleeved shirt, and takes a seat on the edge of his bed. In front of him is the wall connected to the room the unguilty Avengers are in and Tony can’t stop himself from staring at it. As he sits there, and even through the soundproofed walls, Tony can hear the Avengers amongst each other.

 

Surprisingly, Tony can hear that T’Challa and Shuri are the two arguing with each other. While that really comes as no surprise that the siblings fight, Tony is surprised to hear about what they’re talking about. Tirianna, of course, but not what Tony expects them to- they’re arguing about himself.

 

“-There is just something familiar about him,” Shuri tells her brother and Tony can easily picture her gesturing around.

 

“I felt it too, but we cannot simply ask him. He has already imprisoned us and I fear that if we push his too far something far worse than prison will occur.” T’Challa says.

 

Shuri scoffs, “We have been arrested because of our own doing. Rogers and Thor were fighting on foreign soil, threatening the lives of innocent civilians! And we are the ones who came here, intruding on their lives!” A sigh, the young woman no doubt trying to calm herself down, “But that is not the point. There is just something about King Najjad that is far too familiar to a be coincidence. I feel like I know him.”

 

“I know, Shuri, King Najjad reminds me of him, too,” T’Challa sighs. He can’t help his heart fluttering at their mention of “he”, but he quickly brushes it off. Of course, they would not be talking about him. Tony guesses that they’re only talking to themselves, probably tucked into a corner by themselves- this is not a conversation Tony expect they would have in front of any of the others. “But he is gone. As much as I want him to, he is not coming back. I’m sorry.”

 

What he hears next breaks Tony’s heart: Shuri sniffles, holding in cries, “I miss him, T’Challa. And seeing this boy who is so much like him… I want him back.”

 

There is some shuffling and Tony knows that T’Challa is enveloping his sister in a hug, “We will talk about this more when we go home, but for now you must be strong. We do not know what will happen next but we must be ready for anything. Clear your mind and your heart, Shuri. Do what he taught you and be strong.”

 

Tony doesn’t bother listening to what happens next; he steps over to slip on his shoes, walks over to the window, and jumps. He lands silently on the ground below and begins walking towards surrounding forests, making his way to the beaches.

 

It is cold out and the rains are going to be starting again soon, but Tony does not feel it, his enhancements keeping him warm.

 

His head aches from the day’s events and his heart is fluttering at what he just overheard. Before he left, him and Shuri had been impossibly closer, closer than him and Rhodey ever were, if Tony were being honest. The two of them had done everything together, from working in the labs to cooking in the kitchen to watching cheesy action movies in the living room. More often than not, anyone could find the two of them together, nearly inseparable. Tony could honestly say that at some point, they had passed the point of just being friends. He always felt like there was something more between them, something exciting.

 

Then he left and hadn’t seen the young lady for years- but he never stopped forgetting her, never stopped thinking about her. There was just a spark between the two of them that Tony had always tried to ignore, he was old enough to be her father after all. She’s smart and clever and hilarious and gorgeous and Tony misses her every day.

 

And now she is here. In his palace. In the bedroom next to his. With the rest of the Avengers. Tony really would rather they had met again under different circumstances, he would love to tell her that he is still here, still with her. But he cannot do that; Tirianna comes first and it will always come first. As King Najjad, Tony has a duty to protect his people- they deserve to be protected considering the people who ruined their lives in the first place are now going to be staying with them until either Tony can trust them enough to leave quietly on their own, or until Fury or Coulson comes barging in.

 

Tony knows that most of the Avengers can be trusted to leave without blabbing Tirianna’s location to the UN or SHIELD, but Rogers, Romanov, and Barton, without a doubt, cannot be trusted in the least. The moment those three get the chance, they are going to find some way to contact SHIELD. That is just not going to happen with their own tech- Tirianna’s technology naturally blocks any signal not approve by Tony within the kingdom. Should they try to use any of the tech they have hidden on their body, then Tiriranna’s technicians will receive an alert and contact Tony right away.

 

So, Tony needs to figure out what to figure out what to do before SHIELD realizes their heroes are missing and come over guns blazing.

 

Groaning, Tony drops his head into his hands and falls to the sand, only a couple of feet from the water’s edge. Before Tirianna, he would never have come to a large body of water like this. But he knows that his people won’t hurt him.

 

His head is aching again and Tony knows that he should have just gone to sleep, he even regrets not doing so with the way his temples are pounding. Normally, Tony doesn’t require much sleep, but even just laying in bed would be enough right now.

 

Just, Tony thought he was done with all of this. “This” being the Avengers. He was here and he was free of their judgment and their attitudes and everything they threw on his shoulders instead of taking responsibility for themselves.

 

Tony can’t think of any of it anymore. He scrubs his hand down his smooth face and breathes, staring up at the sky. That’s another thing Tony needs to decide: should he keep his mask on the entire time the Avengers are here? He’s positive he actually doesn’t look too much like he did when he was actually seventeen, he looks more youthful and healthy with sharper features and purple eyes, but Natasha is perceptive and Barnes- Barnes seems to already know something. Despite his darker skin and thin, muscular body, Tony can’t be sure that he isn’t going to be recognized as their dead ex-teammate Tony Stark.

 

Closing his eyes, Tony forces any thoughts of the Avengers out of his head and closes his eyes. With the ocean creating a peaceful melody around him, Tony lets himself fall into a light sleep.

  
  
  


*

  
  
  


He wakes up to footsteps coming in his direction. The steps are still a good twenty minutes away, so Tony keeps his eyes closed until they get closer. It is sprinkling now but Tony doesn’t care; he cannot get sick anymore.

 

When the footsteps are finally only a few minutes away, Tony opens his eyes, sitting up in the sand to hug his knees to his chest. Ava sits down next to him. They watch the ocean for a while, Tony’s clothing and hair soaked, but Ava perfectly dry under her umbrella and Drenmir uniform. Her pretty face is tired, but her eyes are just as bright as always. She doesn’t look at Tony when she speaks,  _ “How are you?” _

 

Tony sighs,  _ “Frustrated. I do not know what to do about any of this. If I just leave them be until such a time they are ready to leave on their own, then SHIELD is going to come here. If I let them go now, then SHIELD is still going to come. I do not see any version of this where SHIELD does not come here.” _

 

_ “Well,”  _ Ava sighs now,  _ “Maybe SHIELD needs to come here.”  _ Tony looks at her with wide eyes and she smiles softly, pulling him towards her for a side hug, not caring that he is getting her wet now.  _ “If we bring them here on our own, there may be a chance we can avoid any TIriannans getting hurt. I know that we cannot completely avoid a conflict of some sort, but we can hopefully keep them from injuring innocents.” _

 

_ “But I don’t see how we can get a hold of them without alerting the rest of the world to us.” _

 

For a long while, neither of them speak, too caught up in their own thoughts. At this point, what Tony wants doesn’t actually matter. The rain is pounding down harshly by the time Ava speaks again,  _ “Perhaps it is time we stop hiding from the world. We are no longer a secret if the Avengers know about us, so we are not going to be a secret from the rest of the world for much longer. Wakanda came out to the world a few years back without much backlash- perhaps if we ease ourselves into the rest of society we will not retrieve much hate. I am not saying that we post on the internet that we exist, but maybe we take some of the shields down and share with people some of the research we have down. Share our sciences and our medicine maybe. Not all at once, of course, some things must stay our own until the world is ready for the rest, but a little bit of the smaller, less important research. Najjad, I am afraid that there is not much else we can do besides coming out willingly, lest we risk Tiriannans.” _

 

Tony doesn’t know what to say. He’s always known that this day was coming, that eventually, they would have to share all of their advanced technologies with the rest of the world, but he did not expect that day to come so soon.

 

He doesn’t know if he is ready for this. Not much is most likely to change, they don’t need to make some big announcement, but some things need to be shared with the rest of the world, like some of their lesser important medical advancements that they have already improved many times. Tirianna probably doesn’t even need to do some big thing like Wakanda and open up clinics around the world- they can just be some brand name that will be on the machinery in hospitals and science facilities. From afar, they can just be the people who created technology incredibly advanced. No one even needs to know that they are an entire kingdom and not just some tech company.

 

Even still, Tony doesn’t want the world to even know their name. The world treated him so poorly, treated Tiriannans so poorly.

 

But, in the end, it all comes down to Tirianna and her safety. Out of everything, coming out of the shadows slowly yet willingly is going to be far safer for the kingdom then letting SHIELD come in and ruin the serenity Tirianna has created. Ensuring that Tiriannans can maintain the solitude and quiet they have worked three years for. Coming out quietly does not mean that the world has to know exactly who they are or where they are from. If SHIELD comes, though, then it is a guarantee that the world would know where Tirianna is within a couple of days, if that.

 

Tony pushes his head further into Ava’s shoulder, hiding his eyes against her soft shirt,  _ “What if Tiriannans find this to be a poor decision? They are already angered by my decision to keep the Avengers here. I do not want to fail them.” _

 

_ “You will not fail them, Najjad. Never. They understand how difficult this day has been and they will understand the difficult decision you face now. I know that you are doing the best that you can- so they will no that you are doing the best that you can,”  _ Ava runs her hands through his thick hair,  _ “You need to stop doubting yourself so much. We are not the Avengers- we will not fault you for elements far out of your control. You are an amazing king and in these three years, Tirianna has just thrived. We would not be where we are had you not come to us, My Saviour.” _

 

Tears spring to Tony’s eyes at the honesty he can hear in Ava’s voice, but he wills them to not fall. She is right. Tony really does not have great choices- it’s either come out of hiding or be forced out of it and no matter how he looks at it, a difficult decision is going to have to be made.

 

Lifting his arms, Ava automatically wraps her arms around his thin frame, cuddling him close into her side. Sometimes he just needs this- to let go and have somebody just hold him, lifting so much weight off of his shoulders by just being close.

 

When a large wet patch grows on Ava’s shirt, Ava quietly ignores it in favour of pulling her king closer to her, allowing him to let out his frustrations. In the outside world, there was no doubt that people would frown on such an action from a king, but Tiriannans do not care. They know their saviour is still just a human, a boy now, no less, who has taken on so much responsibility without much leeway. Ava is just surprised it has taken Tony three years to break down. Although Tirianna is such a peaceful kingdom, running it must no doubt be difficult.

 

After Tony finally calms down enough and the two of them are staring out at the ocean, Tony says,  _ “When do you want me to make the call?” _

 

A small but strong hand rubs through Tony’s hair,  _ “Perhaps you should give it a couple of days beforehand. SHIELD may be angry with you, but no matter when you call, they will still be angry with you. Allow Tiriannans the luxury of getting used to the Avengers before you toss SHIELD into the mix, as well.” _

 

_ “Okay,”  _ Tony whispers. Never before has Ava’s advice failed him and he trusts that she will not fail him now.

 

Ava tugs his shoulders, guiding him to his feet,  _ “Come on, let’s go home. We can deal with everything later.” _

 

They are halfway back to the palace when Tony pulls Ava into a hug, embracing his friend,  _ “Thank you.” _

  
  
  


TBC… 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
